Internal combustion engines are an essential part of civilization as we know it today. Internal combustion engines literally surround us in our everyday life, from automobiles, trucks, airplanes, trains and boats to lawnmowers and snowblowers. With the present oil shortage and environmental pressures, any improvements in the efficiency or in the anti-pollution featurs of internal combustion engines are rapidly adopted and widely used.
More recently, the trend in the automobile industry, urged by consumer demand and government regulations, has been to improve the horsepower to weight ratio of internal combustion engines. Since a lighter engine can run at higher rpm's and deliver more power, a priority has been given to the development of lighter engine parts. By reducing weight and inertia loads, the use of lighter weight parts also lowers stresses on the parts.
The development of parts having a lower heat loss than metal is also a highly desirable goal. When more heat is kept inside the engine, more power can be produced for a given displacement, thus obtaining improved fuel efficiency.
The present invention provides improved movable components for internal combustion engines. The present components are stronger, lighter, have a much higher temperature capability and have a lower heat conductivity than steel; they have improved wear properties facilitating close dimensional tolerances and associated tighter clearances that can be maintained over long periods of time and greater temperature extremes. The present components have improved lubricating surfaces which permits the use of oils or lubricants which do not contain expensive additives or surfactants.